Primary Menu

Tag Archives: theft

Originally I made this blog to out sham photographers who are beefing up their portfolios with work that is not their own to draw in clients who are none the wiser until far after the money has exchanged hands and the wedding/event has taken place.

Today I’m making an exception to this rule (we shall see if it’s a forever exception or not) because frankly I’m pissed off by the amount of businesses that have been stealing photographs lately. First it was DKNY and now, the tipping point for me, Hot 89.9. Perhaps the tipping point for me is the final email that they sent to the photographer when confronted with the theft. I found out about this via Facebook today and I’m seething.

Barbara Ann Studios, based in Ottawa, Canada happened across a pamphlet by Hot 89.9 in which they were seeking partners for their “Get Me to the Altar” contest. She happened to see that one of her images was being used on the last page and was shocked as she had never been asked for permission, nor given the file over for use.

Barbara emailed the company and asked how this image came to be used and why it was being used without permission. They replied stating that they used Google Image Search for images at a venue that is a sponsor and it was only used for 10 or less clients and they were sorry. Barbara replied that it doesn’t matter how many people saw it, it is the fact that it was used without permission and gave them a rate in which she typically charges for commercial use of an image. Hot 89.9 replied and scoffed at her price stating that typically they pay $40-$100 for that type of image use. Barbara replied that fee may have been okay had it of been a negotiated rate with a different photographer prior to going live with the document but after the event it is a different matter, that was not her fee for commercial use and she was hoping to settle this without having to go further.

This is the final email from Scott Broderick, which sent me over the edge.

“Barb you were kind enough to provide us with a few definitions. Here is one I just looked up:

extortion

NOUN

The practice of obtaining something, esp. money through force or threats

SYNONYMS

Blackmail-exaction

You are obviously a very talented photographer, I would stick with that. Extortion is not your thing.

PS: Google Image Search is a tool to find photographs, not a free image database for stock images.

UPDATE 3/3
Yesterday Hot 89.9 posted their entire email exchange on Facebook which resulted in over 1,000 comments, many attacking Barbara personally. Finally after a day they have removed the post and posted its staying private, which is ironic. People are still slinging mud and many questionable Facebook accounts are participating (sorry if it was created in the past day I’m going to question it’s validity).

By the time I was alerted to this thief, the owners of the photos have mostly done what they should and reported the image theft to the web site host and Facebook so many of the images are down, but not all. There is also a couple images that are stock images that are being used. Her website online has already been taken down from the owners of the images filing DMCA’s so that’s a plus!

Most images have been removed but there are still some stock images on her page. She is getting pretty nasty back at people commenting on her Facebook Page about the stolen works and calling the owners of the images “snoody” for asking her to remove them.

UPDATE #2:

It appears her Facebook Page is down, possibly gone depending if she or Facebook took it down for the multiple DMCA reports.

It looks like this photographer has been at this for about a month though, not just a week as I can see stolen images on facebook were put up in April. Sure, the images at the beginning of their wedding page on their site may be theirs but the more you scroll the more they “borrowed” from other sites. Of course the borrowed photos have their logo on it… that’s totally a mistake right? Beyond the stolen images I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t have licensing for the music as well (note, turn your speakers off before going to their site if you don’t care for music on sites).

He’s been confronted and is denying, of course. This excuse? He got the images from a free wedding image advertising site. Ah, of course. Because nothing says legit like using stock photos to sell your photography business. Note this is against all terms of service on stock image sites.

He is slowly taking down images as the owners confront him (owners, I have a PDF of the page before if you need it for any legal purposes) but what’s amusing is that he’s not taking down ALL of the stolen images.

This was stolen nearly word for word from… well I’m not sure who from. According to CopyScape there’s at least 6 photographers using this same bio with words and numbers swapped out and some expanding on this making even more mirrors. Sure, A&K may have originally wrote it but considering that their online presence didn’t appear to start until 2012 I am doubting they were the first to get this. Maybe it’s from that free wedding site too…

UPDATE:

He is removing some of the images but not all and none have been removed from the Facebook Page. If one of the images is yours, filing a DMCA with Facebook is easy as pie. Contact me if you need help.

UPDATE #2:

A and K Photography is claiming that this is a “lie” by a former partner so I’m going to continue to show images and their sources (none of which are from the gentleman he’s accusing of starting this rumor). He’s also threatening to sue. The proof is in the pudding right? Although these sources are linked above, photographers are visual people so here’s the visual proof.

This blog may have been the final tipping point for A and K to finally remove ALL of the stolen images from their Facebook Fan Page as they were here right before they went down. Hi!!!! Now let’s work on your website OK?

UPDATE #4:

A and K has finally removed most (not all mind you!) of the stolen works from their website and Facebook page. However guess what hasn’t been touched? The Google + page!

I should mention here that I think it is quite shady to use their personal portrait from their wedding day in advertising and on their multiple websites since it’s being presented with images they claim to have taken and NOT labeled as them or their wedding image from their own wedding photographer.

UPDATE #4 3/1/2013:

Guess who got caught stealing again? Youuuuu got it, A&K! Boy, that old partner just doesn’t stop does he 😉 It’s amazing he still has access to their Facebook page to keep putting these stolen goods up huh?

This is most likely the same girl behind Glass Slipper and Cara Mia… she just won’t quit! Many of her images used for her profile and albums are images also seen on the Cara Mia page and were formerly on the Glass Slipper page. It appears that her Facebook profile is new so she must keep reopening as people find the new ones. She links to a website in this profile but it doesn’t come up.

Cara Mia Wedding Photography may also be the same studio as Glass Slipper (see below) but may not be. Many of the same images are stolen and a lot of the verbage on the site is also similar. Props to Peter Zack for noticing this, you should read his blog about thieves that sparked the idea for this blog.